Father’s Day is Sunday, and I would like to salute all you dads. I suspect my readers are mostly female, but if you’re a dad, let me say thank you, not for reading, but for being so important in your child’s life. I know TV often portrays you as an incompetent fool who can’t make a meal, change a diaper or even care for your own child. So let’s end this “Dad is Homer Simpson” portrayal and focus on all the life lessons you’ve taught your child.
My dad passed away years ago and his lessons are still valuable. Some have proven more helpful than others, but isn’t that true for most things?
Work hard regardless of your job. My dad owned a roofing company. He used both brains and brawn to support his six kids. One of my first jobs was a telephone solicitor. Yes, at the age of 16 I was already annoying random people. But because of my dad’s example, I was the most tenacious solicitor you ever talked to. No one could hang up on me because I’d call back. It was a miserable job, but I was good at it. I had to be, or my dad would have been disappointed.
You can wear plaid and stripes at the same time. To say that my dad lacked fashion sense is , well, I’m pretty certain his name was never used in a sentence that included the word ‘fashion’. His outfits often left me speechless, particularly his red, white and blue polo shirt with the matching plaid pants. So, I’m amazed this season’s fashion magazines show models wearing plaids and stripes. Turns out he was right.
Be friendly to everyone. As a child, it bothered me that everywhere we went, my dad had to stop and say hello. Checking out at the grocery store always included a conversation with the cashier. His friendliness annoyed me. It wasn’t until I started working in the service industry that I realized how much a smile or a nice word could change your entire day.
Know how to do useful things. Before anyone discussed gender roles, my dad made sure we knew how to ‘do stuff. ‘ This meant I could mow the lawn, clean gutters and also make a decent meal. Although I did go through a phase of cooking only one color of food at a time. OK, cooking is not a strength, but I can certainly handle a hammer.
Always agree with your spouse in front of the children. Every one of us tried to get my dad to overrule my mother. He wouldn’t. I am sure there were times he wanted to, but a united front was always presented.
Anything could be solved by drinking a beer on the back porch. When President Barack Obama faced a potential public relations disaster, what did he do? Invite the two people to the White House for a ‘beer summit.‘ The President stole the idea from my dad. No problem or hurt feeling could not be fixed by drinking a Miller Genuine Draft while sitting on the back porch.
So, dads, your kids are paying attention to you when they occasionally look up from their phones. You do matter and are loved, whether you are here on earth or just in our hearts. Happy Father’s Day.
